It is no secret that airlines trail other industries when it comes to retailing. To gain traction in the airline retail space, it is important to understand the dynamics driving change in the airline industry and strategies needed to fulfill the needs and expectations of today’s tech-savvy travelers.

Many airlines are still limited in their ability to influence travelers and successfully retail across the entire customer journey. Siloed data, lack of customer insights and disparate distribution strategies have left airlines blind to the information and resources necessary to excel as world-class retailers.

Our recently released NDC eBook will look at the end-to-end process of next-generation airline retailing, distribution and fulfillment. With expert industry opinions, it will demystify critical topics such as IATA NDC, discuss the importance of personalized products and services and provide practical tips for key players in the travel ecosystem.

In this chapter, the first in a five-part NDC eBook, we look back at the genesis of airline retailing, as well as explore the next frontier – new tools and standards, emerging technologies and inspired approaches to put airlines, travel agencies and their technology partners ahead of the retailing game.